Quite often growing plants or floral arrangements are sold and delivered in inverted frustoconical containers that are commonly called flower pots. For example, plants are often grown in such containers formed of clay, plastic or other material and sold as potted plants with such potted plants being delivered to the customer at the florist's place of business or being delivered to some destination designated by the customer. Since the foliage of a potted plant is often rather extensive and the base of the flower pot containing the potted plant does not encompass a large area, potted plants generally have a relatively high center of gravity and are susceptible to tipping. If, as is generally the case, the potted plant is transported with a delivery truck, or a customer's vehicle, great care must be exercised in the handling and transportation so that the plant or flower pot is not damaged due to tipping over.
Although it is possible for a florist to equip his delivery trucks for supporting potted plants and the like, such an arrangement requires a substantial investment and detracks from the versatility of the delivery vehicle in that florists often deliver floral arrangements other than those contained in flower pots, e.g., cut flowers contained in boxes. Further, such an arrangement is of no avail to customers that accept delivery of potted plants at a florist shop and must transport the plants in their own vehicles.
Although various portable containers or carriers for potted plants and the like have been provided within the prior art, such containers or carriers have presented a number of disadvantages. First, if such containers are configured for use by the florist without any assembly operations, the containers generally require a great deal of storage space. On the other hand, if the container is configured for fabrication by the florist, the prior art containers generally require a substantial amount of time and effort to assemble, often requiring gluing or fastening operations such as taping or stapling.
Secondly, many such prior art containers are relatively expensive. Hence, such a container may be advantageous to the florist for his own delivery operation wherein he may reuse the container for a number of delivery operations, but does not facilitate transportation of potted plants by a customer unless the florist prices the merchandise to include the transportation carriers.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a carrier or container for potted plants and the like which will maintain the potted plant upright during delivery thereof, and which will ensure delivery in an undamaged condition.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a carrier or container for potted plants that will not only maintain the floral container in an upright position during delivery, but make it easier to handle such floral deliveries.
It is another object of this invention to provide a container for the delivery and handling of potted plants and the like that requires minimal storage space and minimal time and effort to assemble to thereby save packing time during the preparation of a potted plant for shipment or delivery.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a blank that can be readily assembled into a container for the transportation and handling of a potted plant without the use of staples or other conventional fastening devices.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an economically manufactured carrier for potted plants that is expendible, yet rugged enough to be used on several occasions if so desired.